The Holyoke City Community Preservation Committee voted Thursday to adopt a standard set of contract terms that will be used in Community Preservation Act (CPA) grants and to attach project-specific conditions to six pending awards.

Committee Chair Jay read the contract language into the record and said the standard terms require active project management and construction observation, display of temporary and permanent CPA signage, and that "no disbursement of funds will occur until a project in its entirety has received all necessary permitting approvals from all relevant municipal, state and federal authorities," language that the committee discussed could require case-by-case exceptions.

The committee framed the standard terms as a baseline that can be adjusted per project. Mary, a committee member, said the conditions create a consistent expectation for applicants while leaving room for documented exceptions. Committee members voted to adopt the current contract language as the committee's standard terms; the motion passed in a roll-call vote with all voting members recorded in favor.

Nut graf: The vote establishes a uniform contract template for Holyoke CPA-funded projects — including a 36-month default project period and signage and reporting requirements — while directing staff and the contract subcommittee to negotiate project-level changes when necessary. Committee members emphasized they expect applicants to document and justify any needed deviations.

The committee then moved through project-specific terms for six awards. For the Flats Community Building, members approved adding a historic-preservation restriction as a contract condition. The motion passed, 6-0.

For the Lawrence School improvements, members discussed a reversion (clawback) clause after questions about public versus city property and community concerns about using CPA funds on schools. The committee approved language that, "in the event that the Lawrence School usage is changed to something other than a school within three years of signing the contract, this grant will automatically terminate and the funds reserved will return to the CPA account without further encumbrance." The motion passed with a recorded tally of 5-0 (as reported in the meeting transcript).

On Glutech Field (playground), committee members confirmed the preferred scope after staff follow-up with the project representative: the selected option is the Emmy O'Brien-style layout with wood-chip surfacing and site accessories (bench/table and shade structure), rather than a rubberized surface, to reduce permitting complexity. No special additional contract term was added beyond the standard language for that project.

The committee directed staff to develop a memorandum of understanding with the YMCA for a proposed pickleball-court project to clarify public access. Jay reported receiving a written response from "Connor" at the YMCA stating the courts would be available to members and nonmembers during YMCA hours, with limited daytime carve-outs for youth programming. The committee approved moving forward with a memorandum of understanding; the motion carried in a roll-call vote with five members recorded as yes and one abstention from Jay due to a conflict of interest.

For the tiny-home rental project, the committee required two additional contract terms: an affordability restriction recorded on the property (minimum 10% below market-rate as proposed) and a written agreement with Alicia Zeller's office in the citys Community Development department to provide ongoing affordability oversight. The motion was seconded and approved by the committee.

The stained-glass-window project requires no extra special terms beyond the standard contract language; the committee noted a permanent CPA sign already exists for that project.

Ending: Committee members instructed the contract subcommittee and staff to carry negotiated, project-specific language forward to grantees and to report back on any substantive alterations. The committee also reiterated that the city solicitor will review and must sign final contracts, and that any significant contract changes made by the subcommittee will be reported to the full committee.